Bicycle-chain



ATnN'r VALTER A. CHURCH, vOF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BICYCLE-CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,177, dated May 2, 1899.

Application led July 22,1898. Serial No. 686,553. (No model.)

To all whom in' may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER A. CHURCH, a citizen of the United States of America, resid- A.ing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bi cycle-Chai ns, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in drive-chains.

This invention relates to chains, usually known as driving-chains, for transmitting motion either for bicycles or any other machine or purposes where such chain drivinggear is used or applicable.

Afurther object of my invention is to pro- Vide an improved construction in drive-chain by which all friction is eliminated, and the dirt or foreign matter which may fall upon the drive-wheel will be immediately freed therefrom,so as not to interfere with the chain and cause friction.

My invention particularly consists in the novel construction of my drive-chain, it being formed of a series of ball-links or spherical portions pivotally secured to each other at their center, hereinafter more fully described.

My invention finally consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side View of my improved drive-chain as applied to the drive-wheel of a bicycle, which is partly partly broken away at its upper edge. Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the drive wheel and chain taken on the line @c oc, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a part of the rim of the wheel, showing the drivech ain applied thereto. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the rim of the drive-wheel. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the chain-links. Fig. 6 is a side View thereof.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings, l indicates thedrive-wheel, the periphery of which has a series of cavities '5o formed thereon. The cavities 2 are semispherical in shape and are adapted to receive the spherical portion 3 of the drive-chain. This spherical portion is cut away, forming an oblong slot, as at et, to receive the link 5, formed integral with the side of the adjacent spherical portion. An aperture Gis formed in the link 5, which coincides with an aperture 7 formed in the spherical portion 3, and the link 5 and spherical portion are adapted to be pivotally secured together by the insertion through the said apertures of a pivot-pin 8..

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a drive-chain, a series of links each of which is formed of a spherical portion which is cut away on its one side to form an oblong slot, a flat circular extension formed integral with the spherical portion in horizontal alinement with the oblong slot and adapted to be secured in the slot of the adjacent link, substantially as described.

2. In a drive-chain, a series of links each of which is formed with a spherical portion which is cut away on one side to form an oblong slot, aiiat circular extension formed integral with the spherical portion of each link opposite the cut-away portion and in vertical alinement therewith and which is adapted to be secured in the oblong slot of the adjacent link, in combination with a drive-wheel hav ing semicircular cavities in its periphery to 'receive the spherical portions of the links,

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

VVAL'IER A. CHURCH.

Vitnesses:

JOHN NOLAND, II. H. PATTERSON. 

